This morning I was heading into work all jacked up on what is going on in the hotel economy and the civil unrest America seems to be experiencing now. I was thinking about all the hotels that will be owned by lenders over the next few months and what this economic market cycle will look by the end of 2020.

On the way to work, I looked over to my right and saw a person, let’s just say, less fortunate than me. It immediately humbled me and made me ashamed for being worked up over issues relative to work and the economy. My first thoughts were, I am ok, my family is ok, and the rest really doesn’t matter.

Sometimes it is the simplest realities that impact our lives the most and how we feel. Appreciation and thankfulness are very powerful antidotes to anxiety and worry. If you haven’t tried this lately, just write down the top three biggest blessings in your life and it is my guess, none of the three things will involve money.

Happy July Wednesday. KT

My granddaughters get on to me all the time for being overly protective. It is because when you get older (like I am) you have visions of all the things that could go wrong. Mostly these concerns are based on things that happened to me (ha) as a kid. I probably had more stitches than a sewing machine and more mishaps than the All State commercial.

It amazes me sometimes that any of us lived through the 60’s and 70’s. No seat belts, no bike helmets, no anti-lock brakes, no airbags, toys that could kill or maim you, no cell phones to stay in contact and the list could go for pages etc. In the summer I would leave home in the morning on my bike (riding on the main roads) be building a tree house five miles from home 20 feet in the air with three 2×4’s and five nails. We played full contact football with no pads or helmets, rode skateboards backwards down steep hills and felt good if there was a little blood on our shirts. Went swimming in the river (wide and fast flowing) with no supervision. It’s just amazing we did not break our neck, have brain injuries or drown. We simply did not know the risks that everyone understands today. As long as I came home for dinner, my mom had no idea what we were doing. ha

I could tell you some pf the dumb things I did as a boy but and teenager, but it might make you think less of me. We just lived life in the most simple and innocent way you could. There wasn’t video games. social media and the internet, yet we lived life rather than sharing it on Facebook. Sometimes the best “likes” are analog, meaning we were there in the moment not watching other people’s moments. We lived it and somehow lived through it.

Much to my granddaughters’ chagrin, I will always be overly protective when they are with me to keep them from harms way as much as I can. Maybe when they are grown, they won’t have as many healed body injuries as me. Ha. KT

What would you do if you were told you had only a few weeks to live? Sounds morbid I know. Here is the thing, whatever your answer is to that hypothetical question, is the to-do-list that you hold most dear. They are the most important things you need to do.

I am just spit balling here, but I bet one of your answers was not to spend more time at work. Your answers were probably much more personal in nature regarding your family and the ones you love. You may have answered something about getting your finances in order so the ones you love will have an easier time after you are gone.

Here is a thought, why not do those things now before you are forced to. Why not sit your family down and have that conversation you have been putting off? Why not take a few hours and organize your life and your financial affairs? Why not do the things that are the most important things you need to do. Who knows, maybe the peace that comes from doing those things now will help you rest better, feel stronger, have more hope and maybe even live longer. Just a thought. KT